


Though it's the end of the world, Don't Blame yourself Now

by nitohkousuke



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Depersonalization, Derealization, Gen, Might end up not being canon when the Ignihyde chapter drops, Nightmares, hints of past character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:35:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26365819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nitohkousuke/pseuds/nitohkousuke
Summary: Initializing...Booting Ortho.exe“Ortho. Welcome back.”Ortho has a nightmare.
Relationships: Idia Shroud & Ortho Shroud
Kudos: 33





	Though it's the end of the world, Don't Blame yourself Now

**Author's Note:**

> HI YES THIS WAS WRITTEN BEFORE EVEN THE POMEFIORE CHAPTER DROPPED DONT LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT
> 
> this has been stuck in my head all day i dont care if its garbage take it and be sad with me

_ INITIALIZING… _

Eyes open wide with a startled gasp. He brings his hands to his mouth, expecting metal, but finds skin unblemished and completely intact.

_ He can’t breath. His mouth won’t work. He can’t scream. He can’t breath. Blood fills his lungs and he’s choking. Choking so fast His vision starts to fade as he can just barely make out Idia’s form. He can just barely make out Idia’s scream. _

_ “OR--” _

“--tho….isn’t it late?” Idia looks away from the tv to Ortho’s tiny form in the doorway.

Of course his face is completely intact. Why wouldn’t it be?

“..I had a nightmare. Besides, shouldn't you be in bed, Nii-san? It’s past our bedtime…” Ortho takes a few more steps towards his brother. His head hurts for some reason. The more he tries to remember what day it is. What their bed time is even supposed to be…

“You don’t have to call me that.” Idia frowns looking away. “I’m barely older than you. You’re the responsible one anyway.”

...Barely older…?

Then why does Idia seem to get bigger with every step. Why does Ortho feel so small…

“Someone has to be responsible, Nii-san. You’re so bad at taking care of yourself…” Ortho frowns as he shuffles closer.

The blankets around Idia seem to shift in the night and morph into an oversized jacket. The bags under Idia’s eyes seem to weigh heavier the closer he gets.

_ “DON’T ACT LIKE YOU CARE. YOU’RE JU-” _

“As your big brother, I can’t just--”

_ “--let you do everything. That’s not right.” _

With every flicker of Idia’s hair, the room seems to flicker. Their living room. Idia’s dorm room. Idia barely older than he is. Idia so much older than he is.

“You’re important to me, Nii-san.” Ortho starts, moving to lay his head on Idia’s sleeve.

“...This Ortho really does seem so...real. It’s personality is so similar…”

“This….Ortho? What do you mean, Nii-san? There’s only-” Ortho moves to to tug on his sleeve but his fingers aren’t his. There’s no flesh. Only metal. Circuitry. A thousand upgrades. A thousand improvements. Desperation.

_ “ORTHO.” _

_ Pain. Screaming. How can he scream? Isn’t he drowning? Isn’t he choking? Nothing is working. Nothing is moving. Nothing is his. This body no longer holds him. This body isn’t his. _

**“** **_ORTHO.”_ **

_ His brother’s hand reached out for his. A river of souls. He has no idea where he is. He has no idea where he starts or where he ends.  _

_ He....has no idea who he is. But he does? He can feel it. Just a hint. Just a sliver. It’s fading. _

_ “Don’t leave me. I can’t do this.” _

**_Initializing…_ **

_ His eyes open slowly. _

_ “Hello.” He says slowly as he observes the room. The boy...No. Idia...looks exhausted. He looks ready to fall over. The bags under his eyes are heavy. They’ve always been heavy, haven’t they? _

_ “Ortho. Welcome back.” He’s crying. _

_ “...Ortho.” He says slowly. That’s his name. He’s sure of it. These are his memories. This is him. There’s no doubt. But... “....Where did I go…?” _

_ “...Don’t worry about it.” _

_ But he does. Because he remembers. _

**_Booting. ORTHO.EXE_ **

_ “Why did I put so many features on you...when originally…” Ortho hates that look on his brother’s face. He hates the way his voice sounds. _

_ “Nii-san...don’t think so negatively…” Because he can do so much more now. He can be so much more. _

_ Metal and circuitry replacing flesh and blood. It doesn’t hurt anymore. _

“ORTHO!” Idia has one hand on the interact and another almost in the containment unit. Ortho really does hate that look on his brother’s face. “...You’re awake. Good. I…”

“...I had a weird dream, Nii-san” Ortho starts as Idia undoes the cables that attach to his body. He stalls for a moment, and Ortho can feel the way his entire body tenses.

“...Did you…?” Idia pulls the last cable and looks away, opening up a game on his computer. He stays silent for a while as Ortho runs through his wake up program checks. “...Do you remember what it was about…?”

“...No.” Ortho lies because he’s not sure he wants to see the look on his brother’s face.

“...Oh. I’ll take a look at your resting program and make sure there wasn’t anything that glitched…” Idia hums as he pulls up the code.

“....Don’t blame yourself.” Ortho says softly.

Idia doesn’t show any sign that he heard him.

He wouldn’t listen to him anyway. That’s all Idia’s been doing.

  
  
  



End file.
